All was Stygian darkness about them.
But Frank remembered suddenly that in an inner pocket he had a small pocket lantern.
This was in a water-proof case and consequently had not suffered by the immersion.
There were matches in the same case and Frank lit one on a dry part of the stone coping.
Then he lit the wick of the lantern and the vicinity was dimly illumined.
But the moment Frank turned the rays of the lantern to the rear both gave a wild start.
A frightful object confronted their gaze. At first sight Frank had thought it a living object.
It was a monster dragon with wide open mouth and awful jaws.
But a second glance revealed the fact that it was not animate and could consequently do them no harm.
It was of some peculiar quality of dark colored greenish stone, and was a remarkably life-like representation.